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"Gregory Karp delivers the goods - by telling you exactly how to get those goods for less - in this supremely practical guide to smart spending. From reducing your cable bill to the cost of your casket, this book is a gold mine of money saving advice."
-- Jeff Yeager, Author, The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches
Introduction: The Spending Smart Philosophy xiv
Chapter 1 Financial FITness: Whacking the Worst Offenders 1
Stockpiling Food for Savings: Bodega in the Basement 3
Coupon Clipping Conundrum: Hassle or Goldmine? 6
Dining Out: Celebrations Versus Poor Meal Planning 9
Life Insurance: It’s Your Money and Your Life 12
Home and Auto Insurance: Don’t Pay Too Much 16
Phone at Home: Pay Less for Your Landline 19
Wireless Mobile Phone: Don’t Let Them Cell You a Bad Plan 23
Chapter 2 Know Thine Enemy; It Is Us: The Problem Between Our Ears 27
Smart People, Dumb Spending: Fire the Accountant in Your Head 28
Evaluating Value: Psychological Income 32
Impulse Spending: Harness the Urge to Splurge 34
No Excuses: The Lies We Tell Ourselves 37
Money Personalities: What Type Are You? 39
Shopping Addiction: “Shop Till You Drop” Ain’t Funny 43
Chapter 3 What a Waste!: Pet Peeves and Hot Buttons 45
Bottled Water: Tap into Savings 46
Junky Insurance: Extended Warranties and Other Insurance You Don’t Need 49
Timeshare Vacations: The Worst Real Estate Deal Ever 52
Smoking: Your Money, Up in Smoke 54
Ink-Jet Cartridges: Refill Rage 57
Lottery: Winning the Jackpot Isn’t a Financial Plan 59
Textbooks: Get Schooled in the Alternatives 60
Hybrid Vehicles: Have a Nonfinancial Reason for Buying One 62
Greeting Cards Discarded: Special-Occasion Cardboard Rethought 64
Chapter 4 The Big Picture: Strategies for Spending Smart 67
Comparison Shopping: What’s a Good Price? 68
Tracking Spending: Forensics on Your Finances 71
Rules of Thumb: Benchmarks for Spending Smart 74
Buying Tactics: When the Price Isn’t Really the Price 77
Curse of Automatic Payments: Monthly Commitments Will Haunt You 79
Buying Used: Secondhand Gives You a Leg Up 81
Spending Windfalls: Don’t Blow It 84
Membership Has Its Privileges: Savings by Association 86
Shopping Online: Geek Your Way to Savings 89
Chapter 5 Around the House Everyday Spending 93
Running Hot and Cold: Keep Your Bought Air Indoors 94
Gasoline: Fuel Savings with Better Mileage 98
Television: Tune In to Savings 100
Pets: Don’t Let Fido Sink Your Finances 104
Prescription Drugs: Just Say No to High Prices for Meds 106
Library: Free Stuff Galore 109
Compact Fluorescents: See the Light 111
Lawn and Garden: Grow Your Savings 114
Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses: See the Price Difference 117
Clothing: Better Duds for Less 120
Chapter 6 Financial Foolishness: Overspending for Financial Services 123
Bank Accounts: Don’t Pay Anyone to Hold Your Money 124
Credit Cards: Play the Game Right 127
Credit Cards II: Advanced Tactics 130
Debt Reduction: Finish Paying for Your Purchases 131
Index Mutual Funds: You Can’t Beat ‘em, So Join ‘em 134
Identity Theft: What Protections are Worthwhile? 137
Chapter 7 That Time of Year: Seasonal Strategies for Spending Smart 143
Back to School Spending: School Daze 144
Holiday Spending: Ho, Ho, Ho. Where’d My Money Go? 146
Valentine’s Day on the Cheap…Without Ending Up in the Doghouse 148
Tax Preparation: Frugal Ways to Pay Uncle Sam 151
Wedding Gifts: An Invitation Is Not an Invoice 154
Kid Birthday Parties: Rein in the Ridiculous 155
Amusement Parks: Costs Shouldn’t Take You for a Ride 157
Vacation Accommodations: Hotel Versus Home Rental 159
Chapter 8 Life Happens: Big-Ticket Infrequent Spending 163
How Much Car Can I Afford?–Less Than You Think 164
Why Buy Used? You’re Not Buying Someone Else’s Problem 167
How Much House Can I Afford? Don’t Be “House Poor” 170
Moving Costs: Getting Your Stuff from Here to There 172
Wedding Spending: Like Marriage, It’s About Compromise 174
College Tuition: The Two-Year, Two-Year Plan 178
Divorce: Spending Less on Splitting Up 181
Hospital Bills: Rampant Mistakes Are Sickening 183
Funerals: Try to Bury the Pain and Guilt 185
A Final Thought: Buying Happiness 189
Index 195
risuena
Posted April 10, 2012
Pretty easy to read and practice. As a self help book, some of it includes things you've already heard before or need reminding on like cutting back on eating out; a few things like the way people view insurance loyalty and telecom services were new and interesting. The author outlines everything in a very approachable way, parts of the book are helpful, not too much repetitive talk, but nothing ground breaking, life changing, or philosophical. It's one of those books that I can take a bit from but won't be my go-to/must have book; it won't be in my financial library.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 20, 2011
I started reading a pdf version that I downloaded from another site. This book was so good, I was compelled to buy the full version. It is not overly preach ,and is full of a lot of simple and practical advice.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 31, 2012
Recycled ideas that are out of date. This waswritten before the crash of 2008 and it shows. I wasted my money on this drivel.
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Posted April 30, 2013
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Posted May 27, 2011
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Posted April 14, 2011
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Posted June 5, 2011
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Posted September 29, 2011
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Posted July 15, 2011
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Posted June 27, 2011
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Posted July 1, 2011
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Posted March 28, 2011
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